Phagwara MLA ensures safe return of stranded Manimahesh pilgrims

Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal has ensured the safe return of nearly 100 pilgrims from his Phagwara constituency who were stranded near Chamba during the sacred Manimahesh Yatra in Himachal Pradesh.

The pilgrims, who had been cut off from their families for several days due to heavy rainfall and flash floods were brought back safely through coordinated efforts involving the Himachal Government and police officials.

The situation in Himachal, especially in Bharmaur and Chamba, remains far more critical than portrayed in the media, with thousands of devotees still stuck in remote areas. Amid these worsening conditions, Dhaliwal maintained continuous communication with the Himachal authorities, including with Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, to facilitate rescue and relief operations for the pilgrims.

Once contact was established, buses and other transport facilities were promptly arranged to bring the stranded groups back to Punjab. Senior police officials of Himachal also played a crucial role in tracing the pilgrims, who had lost all means of communication and been cut off from their families for several days. Their safe return has brought immense relief to people of Phagwara, who had been anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones.

This is not the first time MLA Dhaliwal has come forward in times of crisis. During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, he made special arrangements by providing more than a dozen buses to send the stranded people from Jammu & Kashmir and other states back to their homes. On every such occasion, he has stood firmly by the people of his constituency, extending help without seeking political mileage.

The residents have expressed deep gratitude to Dhaliwal for his timely intervention.